Now when the twelfth morn thereafter was come, then the gods that are
for ever fared to Olympus all in company, led of Zeus. And Thetis forgat
not her son's charge, but rose up from the sea-wave, and at early morn
mounted up to great heaven and Olympus. There found she Kronos' son of
the far-sounding voice sitting apart from all on the topmost peak of
many-ridged Olympus. So she sat before his face and with her left hand
clasped his knees, and with her right touched him beneath his chin, and
spake in prayer to king Zeus son of Kronos: "Father Zeus, if ever I gave
thee aid amid the immortal gods, whether by word or deed, fulfil thou
this my desire: do honour to my son, that is doomed to earliest death of
all men: now hath Agamemnon king of men done him dishonour, for he hath
taken away his meed of honour and keepeth her of his own violent deed.
But honour thou him, Zeus of Olympus, lord of counsel; grant thou
victory to the Trojans the while until the Achaians do my son honour and
exalt him with recompense."

So spake she; but Zeus the cloud-gatherer said no word to her, and sat
long time in silence. But even as Thetis had clasped his knees, so held
she by him clinging, and questioned him yet a second time: "Promise me
now this thing verily, and bow thy head thereto; or else deny me, seeing
there is naught for thee to fear; that I may know full well how I among
all gods am least in honour."

Then Zeus the cloud-gatherer, sore troubled, spake to her: "Verily it is
a sorry matter, if thou wilt set me at variance with Hera, whene'er she
provoketh me with taunting words. Even now she upbraideth me ever amid
the immortal gods, and saith that I aid the Trojans in battle. But do
thou now depart again, lest Hera mark aught; and I will take thought for
these things to fulfil them. Come now, I will bow my head to thee, that